Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Place
Presented by the Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council presented the report.

Comments from Community Scrutiny Committee on the report were considered and acknowledged in turn. Comments 1 – 3 were noted.
Recommendation 1 from Community Scrutiny Committee received no motion or further recommendations. Recommendation 2 received a carried motion, with a member expressing the importance of maximising communication with residents to include them on the development journey.

A member, in full support of the project, commented that the project would help to ‘lift and improve the area’. They added that regenerating this area would help deliver the promise to improve the town centre. This was echoed by another member who added that they were pleased that Community Scrutiny Committee supported the ‘mixed use’ housing scheme.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor M Wyatt and

RESOLVED THAT:

1) The feedback from the community engagement session held on8 October 2025 was noted.

2) The comments and recommendations of the Community Scrutiny Committee on 25 February 2026 were noted.

3) A sum of £276,258 is moved from the development pool to the active programme in the capital programme as outlined in section 4.0 of the report was approved.

4) The appointment of ARUP to provide design services for RIBA stage 4 of the Stenson Gardens public realm project to a point where tenders for construction have been obtained within the agreed budget of £276,258 was agreed.

5) Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Place (in consultation with the Portfolio Holder) to appoint consultants to prepare an outline planning application for the former council offices site within the agreed budget of £276,258.

6) Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Place (in consultation with the Portfolio Holder) to submit an outline planning application for planning consent for residential use on the former council offices site.

7) It was agreed that Cabinet would undertake more marketing to showcase the design visuals and promote the project with the aim to gain more community involvement.

Reason for decision: Cabinet approval required to enable progress with the next stages of the Stenson Gardens project in compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules and procurement legislation.